Dickerson leads Jackson girls to conference title

Nothing seems to stop Jackson junior Taylor Dickerson when it comes to running these days.

Dickerson recently ran for student body president at Jackson High School for next school year.

She won.

Dickerson was running again Friday. This time on the track at the SEMO North Conference track and field meet at Jackson Junior High School.

Her spoils for her four events -- four victories.

Jackson's Taylor Dickerson competes in the 1,600 meters Friday during the SEMO North Conference meet in Jackson. (Laura Simon)

Dickerson broke the school record in winning the 1,600 meters, posted a 9-second victory in the 800 and ran legs on the victorious 1,600 and 3,200 relays.

Jackson won 10 of the 18 events to claim the conference crown with 100 points. Sikeston placed second with 70, followed by Poplar Bluff at 52 and Central at 38.

"That's probably the first time all season I've done four events," Dickerson said. "It's been a good day, and prom is tomorrow. A great weekend.

"Our girls team really pulled it off today. We had some really good performances."

But Dickerson was the only girl to do any erasing in the record book.

After running a leg on the victorious 3,200 relay with teammates Tori Parry, Lindsey Seabaugh and Kristen Richardet, Dickerson went on an individual pursuit in the 1,600.

Dickerson has been flirting with an 18-year-old school record of 5 minutes, 9.35 seconds this season. It's a mark that was set by Sherry Lange in 1993, and it was a time Dickerson was familiar with down to the hundredth of a second.

Dickerson covered the 1,600 in 5:09.37 earlier this season at the University of Missouri and thought she had the record, only to find out when she returned home that she was .02 seconds off the mark.

"I didn't really think I could do it this season, but when I got down below 5:20, I was like, 'OK,'" said Dickerson, who was all-state in cross country this past season and posted a 5:14 the first week of the season. "I told myself I was going to do it here."

Dickerson covered the distance in 5:08.12 on her home track.

She trimmed more than a second off the record and finished 21 seconds ahead of senior teammate Parry, who placed second.

It was the payoff for not missing a beat during the monsoon conditions that have hampered the spring sports seasons. She's endured conditions better suited for a postal employee.

"I've run in some pretty nasty rain," Dickerson said. "I've run in the snow, the ice. It's worth it. The elements can only make me stronger. The sectionals are so incredibly tough. I'll do whatever it takes."

Jackson coach Steve Wachter said Dickerson takes that attitude into all her endeavors, noting she's ranked No. 2 academically in her class.

"Taylor's a very special young lady," he said. "She's outstanding in everything -- band, music and academics. She just excels in everything."

Dickerson later added the 800 title and held off Sikeston's Makala McCauley over the final 400 meters of the 1,600 relay.

"Her determination and work ethic are just incredible," Wachter said. "She comes to compete."

Jackson junior Lauren Anderson and sophomore Paden Wachter also turned in two individual victories.

Anderson won both hurdle events, edging Poplar Bluff's Jasmine Webb in the 100 hurdles by .01 of a second with a winning time of 17.33. She later won the 300 hurdles in 50.02.

Wachter won the discus and shot put. She threw a personal-best 127 feet, 9 inches in the discus and 39-7 in the shot. She also ran a leg on the 1,600 relay with Kaylie Hunt, Mallory Jones and Dickerson.

"Everybody did very good," Paden Wachter said. "We all did our best and just worked hard."

Jackson's Sierra Maddux (9-6) won the pole vault, while Parry finished first in the 3,200.

Central senior Asia Thomas turned in all three of Central's victories, winning the 100, 200 and 400.

Thomas, who is the defending state champion in the 400, won the event in 58.17, nearly 4 seconds better than her state-record time last season.

"I've been sore lately," Thomas said. "Maybe next week I'll be in better shape."

Thomas won the 100 in 12.8 and the 200 in 25.8.

"She did well today," Central coach Matt Hale said. "She's running times faster this year than she was last year at this point of the year. And that's exciting to see. She'll be ready to go at districts and sectionals. She'll be ready to go and have some people pushing her at districts and sectionals."

Team results -- 1. Jackson 100, 2. Sikeston 70, 3. Poplar Bluff 52, 4. Central 38

3,200 relay -- 1. Jackson (Taylor Dickerson, Tori Parry, Lindsey Seabaugh, Kristen Richardet), 10:26.03; 2. Poplar Bluff, 11:20.97

100 hurdles -- 1. Lauren Anderson (J), 17.33; 2. Jasmine Webb (PB), 17.34; 3. Aubrey Smith (J), 18.46; 4. Yalanda Johnson (S), 19.94

100 dash -- 1. Asia Thomas (C), 12.80; 2. Vonteria Applewhite (S), 13.33; 3. Chazeton Redd (S), 14.13; 4. Mallory Jones (J), 14.30; 5. Webb (PB), 14.48

800 relay -- 1. Sikeston, 1:49.63; 2. Poplar Bluff, 1:54.48; 3. Jackson, 1:59.86

1,600 -- 1. Dickerson (J), 5:08.12; 2. Parry (J), 5:29.12; 3. Laura Chavez (C), 5:40.63; 4. Alison Huskey (PB), 5:47.71

400 relay -- 1. Sikeston, 51.54; 2. Jackson, 54.09; 3. Poplar Bluff, 54.44

400 -- 1. Thomas (C), 58.17; 2. Ailena Stoval (S), 1:03.61; 3. Anna Crescitelli (PB), 1:04.92; 4. Kaylie Hunt (J), 1:05.01; 5. Kyla Robinson (S), 1:06.16

300 hurdles -- 1. Anderson (J), 50.02; 2. Johnson (S), 51.89; 3. Webb (PB), 54.26

800 -- 1. Dickerson (J), 2:24.64; 2. Richardet (J), 2:33.51; 3. Chavez (C), 2:34.25; 4. Randi Montgomery (PB), 2:45.09; 5. Kaitlyn Carpenter (PB), 2:52.95

200 -- 1. Thomas (C), 25.80; 2. Applewhite (S), 26.90; 3. Allante Oglesby (S), 29.64; 4. Julia Dragon (PB), 29.84; 5. Brandi Zimmerman (J), 30.11

3,200 -- 1. Parry (J), 11:25; 2. Lindsey Seabaugh (J), 11:59; 3. Huskey (PB), 12:39; 4. Jordan Canoy (PB), 13:06

1,600 relay -- 1. Jackson (Dickerson, Hunt, Jones, Paden Wachter), 4:19.80; 2. Sikeston, 4:23.61; 3. Poplar Bluff, 4:41.89

Pole vault -- 1. Sierra Maddux (J), 9-6; 2. Chleo LeGrand (C), 9-0; 3. Nancy Mardanova (C), 9-0; 4. Shania Nelson (PB), 8-6; 5. Maurene Mouser (J), 7-6

Shot put -- 1. Wachter (J), 39-07 1/2; 2. Ali Frazier (PB), 38-7 1/4; 3. Carlee Reaves (C), 36-7; 4. Taylor McMahon (J), 31-8; 5. Aleah Little (S), 31-1

High jump -- 1. Betsy Borgsmiller (S), 5-7; 2. Marissa Webb (PB), 4-10; 3. Jalen Peet (S), 4-8

Long jump -- 1. Peet (S), 15-10 1/2; 2. Anderson (J), 15-3 1/2; 3. Hunt (J), 14-8 1/2; 4. Redd (S), 14-4; 5. Makala McCauley (PB), 13-10

Triple jump -- 1. Peet (S), 33-4 1/2; 2. Oglesby (S), 32-5 1/2; 3. McCauley (PB), 32-5; 4. Smith (J), 27-9

Discus -- 1. Wachter (J), 127-9; 2. Reaves (C), 117-11; 3. Frazier (PB), 100-11; 4. McMahon (J), 99-6; 5. Janai Ivory (S), 96-4